Whenever the Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) received anything, he did not sit in peace until it was finished. Umm al-Momineen Umm Salamah, reported that one day the Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) came home looking disturbed. She asked him what the matter was. The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied that the seven dinars he had received the day before had remained on the bed until evening and had not been distributed. He did not rest until they were given away.

Hazrat Abu Zar Ghaffari reported that one evening he was walking with the Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) when he said, "Abu Zar, if the mountain of Uhud were turned into gold for me, I would not like three nights to pass and one dinar still be left with me, excepting what I would leave for paying my debts." He would never rest until all the cash in the house was completely finished.

Imam Ali (as) said: "Overlook and forgive the weakness of generous people, because if they fall down, Allah (SWT) gives his hand in their hands and helps them..."

Imam Ali (as) said: "Generosity is to help a deserving person without his request, and if you help him after his request, then it is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke."

Imam Hassan Mujtaba (as) says: The one who does not have wits and intelligence does not have decorum and decency; the one who lacks fortitude does not have generosity and magnanimity; and that one who does not possess shame and modesty does not have religion.

Once a Bedouin asked Imam Hussain (as) what is the best thing to do? Imam Hussain (as) replied, "Belief in God". Bedouin asked again, what is the best means of deliverance from destruction, Imam Hussain (as) said, "Trust in God". Bedouin asked, what man's ornament is, Imam Hussain (as) replied, "knowledge associated with intelligence". Bedouin insisted, if this be not available, what then, Imam Hussain (as) replied, "Wealth accompanied with generosity". What if this be out of reach, Imam Hussain (as) said, "Poverty allied with patience". What if this be not practicable? Imam Hussain (as) smiled and said, let the lightening consume the man to ashes. He then gave whatever money he had with him to fulfill his needs.

Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) related that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "The best men in view of faith is the most openhanded."

Imam Baqir (as) said: "A generous young man who is plunging in sins is favorable, in the sight of Allah (SWT), to a niggardly old man who plunges in worship."

Imam Musa Kadhim (as) said: "Man's dependants are his prisoners. Anyone upon whom Allah (SWT) confers with graces should be generous towards his prisoners. If he does not, he will soon be deprived of these graces."

Imam Hassan Askari (as) says: Generosity has a limit, which when crossed becomes extravagance; caution has a limit, which when crossed becomes cowardice; thriftiness has a limit, which when crossed becomes miserliness; courage has a limit, which when crossed becomes fool-hardiness.

Generosity is one of the ethics of the Prophets, a pillar of faith and a ray of the light of firm faith. The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said: "The Auliya Allah - Friends of Allah (SWT) are, essentially and inherently, generous." Hence, in order to acquire this attribute, a Mu'min (believer) should endeavour hard to be munificent and generous towards relatives, deserving ones and the like, for the pleasure of Allah (SWT).

It is better that a person's generosity is associated with a thing that is dear to him - eatables, clothes, money etc. - and that no obligation is placed upon the person towards whom generosity has been exhibited; man should only view himself as a trustworthy person, whose responsibility is to pass on Allah's (SWT) things to deserving and needy individuals. As such, he should stay away from frugality and refrain from withholding the Divine trusts; this is because it is not known whether or not they would yield any benefit, if given after his death, and whether or not his inheritors would expend them in a correct and appropriate manner?

Hatim Tai was questioned: "Have you come across any one more generous than yourself?"

Hatim Tai replied: "Yes, I have"

Hatim Tai was asked: "Where?"

Hatim Tai said: I had been traveling in the desert when I came across a tent. Inside it there was an old lady while behind the tent a goat lay tied. When the old lady saw me she approached me and held the reins of my horse so that I could dismount. A little later, her son arrived and was immensely pleased to have me as their guest. The old lady said to him: "Commence the preparations to entertain our guest. Go and slaughter the goat and prepare some food."

The son said: "First I shall go and collect some firewood," but the old lady said: "Going to the desert and bringing the firewood shall consume a lot of time due to which our guest would have to remain hungry for long, and this would be contrary to social etiquette."

So the son, breaking the only two lances that he possessed, slaughtered the goat, prepared the food and presented it before me. When I investigated about their condition, I realized that the goat had been their only possession and despite this, they had slaughtered it for me. I said to the old lady: "Do you recognize me?" When she replied in the negative, I said: "I am Hatim Tai. You must come with me to my tribe so that I can entertain you and shower you with gifts and presents!"

The old lady said: "Neither do we seek any reward from our guests nor do we sell bread for money, and she refused to accept anything from me." Witnessing this generosity, I realized that they were far more generous and munificent than me.

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.

The traveler left, rejoicing his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. "I've been thinking," He said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious: Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone (Generosity)."

Allah (SWT), the Wise, has said in the Noble Qur'an: "Give to your close relatives what they need, and also give generously to the destitute and to wayfarers. Do not squander your wealth; those who are wasteful are the brothers and sisters of Satan and Satan is always ungrateful to his Lord. But if, while waiting for the Lord's bounty, you are unable to help your relatives, the destitute and wayfarers, then at least speak kindly to them." Surah Al-Isra (17:26-28)

It is narrated from Imam Musa Kadhim (as) that in Bani Israel was a righteous man who had a kind hearted wife.

One night this man dreamt that he was told that the Almighty Allah had fixed a particular life span for him. Half of it was to be in prosperity and other half in difficulties. He had the choice of whichever life he desired first and whichever condition he desires to have in the later life. The man requested for some time as he wanted to consult his wife as he had always sought her counsel in important matters.

Next day he related the dream to his wife who told him to ask for a prosperous life first. She said, "And hurry up to obtain it. May be Almighty Allah desires to grant us with His bounties." The next night when he was asked in his dream he said that he wished for prosperity in the earlier part of life. He was told that his wish shall be fulfilled.

Thus he began to receive all types of bounties and comforts. His wealth and property increased.

Then his wife said, "O slave of Almighty Allah! Now you help your relatives and other deprived people. Do good to them. Give that particular thing to that neighbour and something to that friend of yours."

This man followed the advice of his wife and was not stingy in giving his wealth in charity. In this way half the life passed. Again he dreamt of the same person and he was saying, "You were not stingy in charity, therefore the Almighty Allah had decided to grant you prosperity in the later half of your life also."

Generosity and kindness doesn't mean that you give only when you have lot or after fulfilling all your needs, but in fact you can still give when you yourself is struggling. Generosity literally means willingness and liberty in giving away ones own money, time, talent and etc sincerely without any personal gain as shown in the following story.

Mahatma Gandhi went from city to city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor old lady got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place where Mahatma Gandhi was sitting.

"I must see him," she insisted and going up to Mahatma Gandhi touched his feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin and placed it at his feet. Mahatma Gandhi picked up the copper coin and put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Mahatma Gandhi for the coin but Mahatma Gandh refused.

"I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands" Mahatma Gandhi said.

"If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much."

But this coin was perhaps all that the poor old lady possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of rupees.